Abu Dhabi: This community group runs kayaking cleanups in the mangrove forests

Clean ups are a common activity in the UAE. But kayaking clean ups take litter picking to the next level.

One organisation that has embraced the activity is the Sustainable Community Abu Dhabi. The group can regularly be found kayaking around the emirate’s mangrove forests, collecting big bags of waste as they go.

Passionate about sustainability

Founder Natalia Sobko launched the group in June 2022: “I spontaneously arranged a beach clean up near where I live on Reem Island, and 17 people showed up. Now we have over 1,300 Facebook members from across the city.”

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The Ukrainian national was inspired to take her litter picks onto the water after she took part in a kayaking clean up run by Emirates Nature – WWF.

She has since hosted several kayaking clean ups around Reem Island and the Eastern Mangroves National Park.

After each session, the volunteers meticulously categorise and record the waste they have collected using the Clean Swell and Sahim applications. To date, they have removed more than 400kg of harmful debris from the waters and landscapes of Abu Dhabi.

Yas Island resident Silvia Cinciripini is one of the group’s many active members.

“There’s a lot of man-made waste in the mangrove forests,” she says.

“Last time we went to the Eastern Mangroves it took us two hours just to clear a small area. Alongside the usual plastic bottles and plastic bags, we found huge pieces of thick carpet that we presumed had been used for construction. They were very heavy and hard to pick up.”

Finding a car seat on one of the islands was another surprise.

“It looked like it had been there for years, and I have no idea how it got there,” adds Cinciripini.

“It was too big to fit in our kayaks, but the group came back another time to break it up and take it away in pieces. We’ve also found long plastic pipes, and old books. It’s so frustrating when we’re not able to collect some of the larger items.”

An inclusive activity

Cinciripini likes to do her own kayaking clean ups as well.

“Anyone can do a kayaking clean up, it doesn’t have to be an organised event. That’s the beauty of it. You can rent kayaks at both the Eastern Mangroves and Reem Park, and it’s such a rewarding and satisfying activity,” says the Italian.

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